Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Shopkeeping talk’ Category

You know 2 things about me…

Posted in Kudos: Ideas to inspire!, Shopkeeping talk, tagged , , , , on September 15, 2016|

Kate helps consignment, resale, and thrift shops succeed

No, Kate’s not a Galactic Roller Derby Queen. Alas.

There’s 2 things that consignment, resale, and thrift shopkeepers know about me (just in case you don’t know me, click here)

One, I insist price tags with printed markdowns are detrimental to your long-range business profit

and Two, I always warn that across-the-board shop-wide markdowns are quite iffy.

But there’s one thing that you may not associate with me, and that’s that

I  want even those who ignore my advice to succeed. Yes, you there, with the price tags with printed markdowns, this idea is specifically for you:

I know, sometimes A: Your shop is simply TOO FULL; B: You might need to goose shoppers to get them buying; and C: It might be fun to reward your shoppers with an unexpected savings event. Therefore, I wanted to share this idea from a consignment peer.

If you need a markdown gimmick, try Take the Next Markdown on the tickets.

Use it as a same-day, one-day incentive on your social media, or announce it late Friday evening for the weekend. Another way to use this idea? As a coupon/ reward voucher “good for the Next Markdown on the ticket, limit 4 items”. *

Would this work for you? It would? You mean you’re actually listening to Auntie Kate for a change? Cooool.

 

*Why that “limit 4 items”? You’d be amazed how many folks will actually BUY 4 items when they get a voucher/ coupon like that… and if it didn’t say that, they’d stop at one.

Save

Read Full Post »

Falling for luscious windows

Posted in Shopkeeping talk, tagged , , on September 12, 2016|

Fall is the only season that comes with its own color palette. That makes it super easy to have stunning windows in September, October and November! Some visual treats from our Pinterest:

This idea, one of TGtbT’s most popular pins, is easy to do, and would look just as yummy in a hard-goods shop as in a fashion shop:

Got a chalkboard? Give your clientele a reason to make multiple purchases!

I love graphic displays in upscale shops:

Here are those birch trunks in use, with twigs added with white window markers:

If you doubt your artistic talent, or if you prefer a whimsical look:

And this idea, to lead into your Halloween costume promotion:

Need more on creating luscious displays all year long? The Big Book of Window Displays is here for you.

window-displays-2Affordable, time-effective ways to DIY your own “Windows Worth a Thousand Words.” Read about
* what windows can do for your bottom line
* how to learn (for free!) from the professionals
* ready-made themes for every week of the year
* our famous 77 Suggestions for Super Windows plus Display Ideas from A to Z* …and even where to start if you don’t have an artistic bone in your body!
Includes a 10-point checklist and ideas from shopkeepers like you!

Save

Read Full Post »

Deja Vuesday: Hire Right

Posted in Deja Vuesday, Shopkeeping talk, tagged , , , on September 6, 2016|

After all, some Auntie Kate messages are, ahem, Too Good to be Threw!

Click the image for more Deja Vuesday posts that are too good to be threw from TGtbT.com

Deja Vuesday

where you can visit a gently-used, blog post in case you missed it the first time. It’s even better the second time around.

Staffing is always a challenge in any sort of retail, but even more so in resale retail. But it could be slightly less of a challenge if (more…)

Read Full Post »

Have your own scratch-off fun!

Posted in Shopkeeping talk, tagged , , on September 4, 2016| 1 Comment »

Everyone loves instant gratification! And a bit of “gambling” fun as well.

A scratch-off card, offering a prize (or not) to your shoppers, is a memorable way to have a promotion in your shop. But most of the scratch-off cards you can order are pretty cheesy.

After all, you want a card that ties in with your branding, not one that looks like it was bought at the local convenience store.

That’s why I’ve hunted up a make-your-own-scratch-cards tutorial.

As you’re thinking about the prizes you might offer, remember this absolutely-essential point. EVERYONE must be a winner (my tutorial on how you manage THAT is here.)

And one more possibility: since you put your heart-and-soul into handcrafting these cards, motivate people to hang on to them to remember how much fun it was to shop in your store. You could do this by printing on your cards: Return this for [a discount, a free gift, something!] between [a soon-coming-up date range of 10 or 14 days]

More help with this idea: Teachmama suggests this idea could be a good Christmas stocking stuffer (holiday gift to include in your business holiday greeting cards mailed to your top customers?) and even offers some design ideas for your card.

Save

Read Full Post »

Recipe for Shopkeeper Backbone

Posted in 5- Minute Fixes, My Favorite Things, Shopkeeping talk, tagged , , , , on September 1, 2016| 3 Comments »

Kate’s Miracle SPINAL INSERTION MACHINE. Line up to the left, please, and have your ride token ready for collection.

Ever wish, as a shopkeeper, that you could get a spine, and stop feeling bad when people tromp all over you and then expect you to feel happy about it? That you could stop apologizing for running your business in a way that allows your business to exist?

Well, Kate to the rescue. Here’s a nice (more…)

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »